The invention relates to a sliding roof system for a motor vehicle. The sliding roof system includes a guide rail, a cover support, a cover attached to the cover support, a front bearing block articulated to the cover support, and a carriage movably received in the guide rail, and which engages the cover support.
In a sliding roof system of this type, the cover can be transferred by the cover support and the carriage to a so-called “venting” position in which a rear edge of the cover—as seen in a direction of travel of the vehicle—is raised outwardly. When in the venting position, a gap is formed between the rear edge of the cover and a rim of an opening in a vehicle roof, which normally is closed by the cover. The gap serves for venting an interior space. In conventional sliding roof systems, in which the cover can be swiveled into a venting position, the cover support is articulated on a front bearing block by a stationary swivel axle. Thus, the cover is swiveled around a swivel axle on the front bearing block when the cover support is raised outwardly.
Due to constructional conditions, the bearing block is usually arranged underneath and behind a front edge of the cover. As a result, swiveling movement of the cover support towards the venting position results in the front edge of the cover being swiveled to the front and downwardly. This has the effect that a weather strip, which seals in a region of a gap between the cover and an opposite rim portion of the vehicle roof, is compressed and subjected to shear strain. This generates undesirable noise and friction.
In addition, this arrangement of the swivel axle in combination with a cover, which has a curved front edge as seen in top view, has the effect of pushing lateral regions of the front edge upwardly when the cover is transferred to the venting position. This is also undesirable.
It is the object of the invention to further develop a sliding roof system of the type initially mentioned to the effect that unwanted noises and friction are avoided when the cover is moved from a closed position to a venting position, and that any unwanted displacements of the front edge of the cover are avoided.